Solar Panel Calculator for South Africa
After years of load-shedding and steep Eskom tariff hikes, rooftop solar and battery backup have surged across South Africa. This free solar calculator estimates your system size, backup, payback and savings in rand using local electricity rates and sun hours.
Calculate my solar payback in South Africa →
Solar at a glance in South Africa
With tariffs rising well above inflation, payback periods keep shortening — and battery backup adds resilience the grid can't guarantee.
| Currency | South African rand (ZAR) |
|---|---|
| Typical electricity rate | R 3 per kWh |
| Installed cost | ≈ R 30 per watt |
| Peak sun hours | ≈ 5.5 hours/day |
| Export / buyback | ≈ R 1 per kWh |
Indicative 2026 starting points — every figure is editable in the calculator, and results depend on your own bill, roof and installer quotes.
A typical 5 kW system in South Africa
At around R 30 per watt, a 5 kW rooftop system costs roughly R 150,000 and produces about 7,829 kWh in its first year at South Africa's 5.5 peak sun hours a day. Your real numbers depend on your roof, shading, panel choice and how much power you use during the day — run your own figures in the calculator to see your exact payback, net savings and ROI.
How the solar calculator works
- Your setup. South Africa and South African rand are pre-selected, with local electricity rate, install cost and sun hours filled in. Enter your monthly bill, or size the system from your appliances.
- Your roof. Search your address or tap “use my location”, then draw your roof on the satellite map — or just type its area. We check the system fits and read local sun hours from NASA data.
- Your results. Instantly see your payback period, net savings, ROI, system size, year-1 production and lifetime CO₂ offset — compare cash vs. a loan, and download a PDF report.
Common questions — solar in South Africa
How many solar panels do I need in South Africa?
It depends on your electricity use, roof space and local sun hours (about 5.5 peak sun hours/day here). A 5 kW system of high-wattage panels is a common starting point for a home — enter your bill or appliances and the calculator gives your exact panel count and system size.
Does South Africa have net metering?
Feed-in and net-billing rules vary by municipality (City of Cape Town, Johannesburg and others have residential programmes with their own tariffs and registration). Many homes still size mainly for self-consumption plus battery backup against load-shedding.
Are there solar subsidies or incentives in South Africa?
The residential solar PV tax rebate ran out in 2024, so there is no broad national cash incentive right now. The value comes from avoiding fast-rising Eskom tariffs and keeping the lights on during load-shedding.
How much does a solar system cost in South Africa?
A typical 5 kW system is around R 150,000 at about R 30 per watt before batteries; a backup battery adds more. The calculator prices your own size and can include battery sizing.
Is solar worth it in South Africa?
For most homes facing load-shedding and rising Eskom bills, yes — you save on the tariff you avoid and gain backup power. Enter your bill to see your payback.
Work out your system size
Not sure how big a system you need? These guides work back from your monthly usage:
500 kWh/month 1,000 kWh/month 1,500 kWh/month 2,000 kWh/month 2,500 kWh/month 3,000 kWh/month
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